Boston man charged with sex trafficking in R.I.

Sunday

Oct 27, 2013 at 5:29 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A Boston man was arrested over the weekend on a sex-trafficking charge involving two teenage girls following a joint investigation by the Rhode Island State Police, Providence police and Brockton police.

By W. Zachary Malinowski

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A Boston man was arrested over the weekend on a sex-trafficking charge involving two teenage girls following a joint investigation by the Rhode Island State Police, Providence police and Brockton police.

The girl was found unharmed at an apartment at 202 Jewett St., Providence. She allegedly was with Anthony Pledger, 26, of 50 Evans St., Dorchester, Mass. There also was a 16-year old girl from Malden, Mass., with them in the apartment, the police said.

The investigation was launched early Friday after the 15-year-old girl's mother reported her daughter missing at 12:30 a.m. She told the authorities that the teenager may be with an adult man in the Providence area.

The police said that Pledger allegedly met the girl on a social media website and arranged to meet her Thursday afternoon near her home. Pledger and the girl spent that night in the apartment on Jewett Street before traveling back to Boston to get her 16-year-old friend.

"Pledger returned both juveniles to the Providence apartment where he promised them clothing and other compensation if they agreed to perform sexual acts for money," the state police said.

The girls, the police said, refused to comply with Pledger's wishes and he allegedly refused to bring them back to Massachusetts. The 15-year-old girl told the police that Pledger had sexually assaulted her in Massachusetts and inside the Providence apartment, the police said.

Emma Schnorr, 22, the tenant of the Providence apartment, was arrested and charged with obstruction for denying that the 15-year-old girl was in the building. She also was charged with possession of crack cocaine.

On Saturday, the authorities obtained a warrant and searched the apartment. They said they seized computers, tablets, cellphones and seven bags of cocaine weighing 5 grams and oxycodone pills. The police also said they found $4,582.

Pledger was arraigned at the Lincoln Woods state police barracks before a justice of the peace on charges of sex trafficking of a minor, third-degree sexual assault, enticement of a child and possession of a controlled substance. Schnorr also appeared before the same justice of the peace and was arraigned on charges of obstruction of a police officer and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. Both were ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions, pending their arraignments on Monday in District Court, Providence.

Both girls were released to the custody of their parents Saturday night.